St
Vincent School for the Deaf
Melrose
Telephone
011 788 5430
Physical
Address
158
Oxford Road
Melrose
, 2196
Fees
R5580 (2010
figures)
Founding and history
The
Dominican Sisters have been involved in Deaf Education since 1884 in
King Williams Town. In 1933 Mr JH Hofmeyr, the Minister of
Education, asked the Dominican Sisters to provide education for deaf
children in
Johannesburg
. A property was bought in
Melrose
, and
St Vincent
School
opened on 23 January 1934 with 38 pupils and 5 teachers. With the
help of government, benefactors and parents, the school expanded.
The pupils came from all over the then Transvaal, and others from as
far as East London,
Durban
and the former
Rhodesia
, now
Zimbabwe
.
St Vincent
School
was for many years the only school for deaf learners teaching
through the medium of English and using the oral method.
The
changes in the country have brought many adaptations in our school.
Our learners now mainly come from disadvantaged areas in
Gauteng
. Their home language is not English; therefore their language of
instruction is their third language, Sign Language being their
first. They often have transport problems and never enough money to
pay for school fees, hearing aids and school uniforms.
St
Vincent
School
carries out hearing tests to fit learners with hearing aids. Speech
therapists assist with language acquisition and voice production.
Although Sign Language is the advocated medium of instruction, the
staff is convinced that we would be failing our learners if we did
not teach them to speak and thus enable them to communicate in
whichever mode they feel comfortable.
The
school assists parents in coming to terms with their deaf child by
counselling and parent support groups. Parents and family members
are taught Sign Language in order to communicate with their deaf
child. We are constantly encouraging sponsorship from business and
the private sector to assist our learners’ educations. Our many
friends and benefactors from the community respond wonderfully to
our collections of jumble and paper recycling.
We
promote deaf awareness in the hearing world. Our signing choir
performs at various public functions as well as at other schools.
The school also has a variety of visitors ranging from students to
researchers, some from overseas. Our shared campus with
Pridwin
School
is a unique venture between a hearing and a deaf school. Not only do
we share sports facilities but learners meet regularly during
breaks. Pridwin learners receive Sign Language lessons.
Many
of our past pupils visit us regularly. They show great interest in
the development of the school, and are quite protective of it
because they consider it their home. At functions they congregate in
large numbers to meet staff and friends. At the school we have a
number of past pupils in teaching posts or in class assistant posts.
Motto
Veritas
Truth
Current enrolment
266 (2010 figures)
Boys and girls
Grade 00 to Grade 12
College, Junior Vocational, Senior Vocational, Junior Bridging,
Intermediate SP
Subjects
offered for Grade 12
English,
Sign Language, Computyping, Computer Application Technology, Mathematics,
Woodwork, Engineering Drawing, History, Physiology, Secretarial
Catering, Art, Design, Metalwork, Sculpture
Facilities
Chapel;
hall; media centre; two computer centres; workshops for Woodwork,
Metalwork and Crafts; tuckshop; afternoon care; boarding;
soccer field; netball court; four tennis courts; swimming pool; gym
Extra-murals
Netball,
soccer, tennis, swimming,
athletics, volleyball, chess, signing choir
Principal
Mrs. Ingrid Parkin
Postal Address
Private Bag
X15
Saxonwold,
2132
Fax:
011 788 5433
E-mail:
principal@stvincentschool.co.za
